Successful application for the “Federal and State Program for the Advancement of Young Scientists”

FREIBURG, 22-Sep-2017 — /EuropaWire/ — The University of Freiburg received twelve new tenure-track professorships from the “Federal and State Program for the Advancement of Young Scientists”. They are directed toward post-doctoral scientists and earmark a direct transition toward a life-long professorship after completing a successful probation period. Through this program the University of Freiburg will strengthen its position: in 2009 it introduced the tenure-track professorship, thereby placing the University ahead of the curve nationally as a career model for promoting young scientists and their work. “Our successful application for the Federal and State program has opened up opportunities for us as a university to further advance the cultural shift in filling professorships,” says Rector Prof. Dr. Hans-Jochen Schiewer. “The deciding benefit of the tenure track is that it offers promising talent a reliable, if not performance-dependent, path toward a professorship, thereby making this model an attractive career option for both young scientists as well as for universities to distinguish themselves from the international competition by bringing in the best new scientific talent available.”

An annual lump sum of 118,045 euros flows to the University for every tenure-track professorship awarded by the Federal and State program. Included within that sum is a so-called strategy surcharge of 15 percent with which the University can develop additional measures to promote young scientists. The first round of financing begins on December 1, 2017 and runs at the latest until 2030. Under the program’s guidelines, the universities are required to occupy every tenure-track professorship by 2020. Their time period runs up to six years. In the event of a birth or adoption up to eight years. After a successful evaluation, the scientists will be promoted to an indefinite professorship position.